Larkhall were the visitors at a chilly Edgar Street Tuesday evening, with Hereford manager Pete Beadle forced into making one change to the team that started at Swindon Supermarine a week ago. With Ryan Green suspended, Rob Purdie was recalled to the starting XI slotting in at left-back, with captain Joel Edwards partnering Jimmy Oates in the heart of defence.
Larkhall got proceedings underway, attacking the Meadow End in the first half. The Larks were first to threaten after Mike McGrath conceded a free kick on the edge of the area, but Jamie Lyons' effort was easily claimed by Hereford stopper Martin Horsell.
Hereford failed to create any meaningful chances in the first 20 minutes, but with 24 minutes on the clock, John Mills missed a perfect opportunity to give the hosts the lead. A great ball into the box by McGrath was met with a low header from Mills, but his effort whistled wide of the post for a goalkick.
Mike Symons was next to test the keeper, but his tame shot after breaking into the box was gathered easily by goalkeeper Josh Dempsey.
In the 31st minute, an accurate long ball forward from captain Joel Edwards was chested down to Tristan Plummer by Symons, but somehow the keeper managed to push his rasping shot from range around the post. Hereford were unable to capitalise on the resulting corner as Oliver Price headed the ball clear.
Dempsey pulled off another fine save 2 minutes later to deny Joel Edwards. Pablo Haysham’s cross from the left was met by Edwards whose thumping header was somehow parried with a diving save from the keeper.
Former Hereford player Joe Tumelty went close to getting his name on the scoresheet before half time, but he fired over Martin Horsell’s crossbar from a free kick 19-yards out.
HT: Hereford 0 – Larkhall Athletic 0
3 minutes after the restart, Adam Davies and Tristan Plummer combined effectively down the right wing, but Plummer’s cross flashed across the face of goal before being put behind by Robert Hobbs.
With Hereford dominating the game after the break, they took the lead with 58 minutes on the clock. After getting on the end of Joel Edwards’ long ball forward, Mike Symons turned his man to get to the by-line before pulling the ball back for Pablo Haysham. Haysham was in enough space in the area to get a shot away, firing his right-footed effort into the top corner of the net to open the scoring.
2 minutes later John Mills doubled Hereford’s lead. A foul by Josh Egen on the left wing resulted in a free kick in a dangerous position for Hereford, with Haysham taking it short to Craig Dinsley. The Gloucester loanee tried his luck from outside the area, but his effort took a number of deflections within the area before John Mills managed to lift the ball over the sprawling keeper to make it 2-0.
10 minutes later Mills was denied a second by the keeper, when his cleanly struck right-footed shot was parried.
The visitors reduced the deficit in the 79th minute when substitute Tom Knighton beat Martin Horsell with his low diagonal shot, and moments later Ben Brooks could have drawn the Larks back level, but his shot from 25-yards narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Both sides had a handful of half chances in the closing stages of the game, but neither could add to the goal tally.
FT: Hereford 2 – Larkhall Athletic 1
Att: 2,140, with 15 in the away enclosure
Sponsors’ MotM: Pablo Haysham
Hereford: Horsell, Davies, Purdie, McGrath, Oates, Edwards (c), Plummer (Molyneux – 66’), Dinsley, Mills, Haysham, Symons.
Subs not used: Edge, Sinclair, Huntbach, A. Harris.
Larkhall Athletic: Dempsey, Egan, Allward, Price (c), Gardner, Hobbs, Griffiths (Brooks – 68’), Raynes, Stinson (Knighton – 68’), Tumelty, Lyons.
Subs not used: Restorick, Arndale, Bater.